Patriots continue to get some special performances

While the offense has been inconsistent and the defense drained by injuries, the Patriots have gotten dependable and meaningful contributions from special teams over the first half of the season.

Julian Edelman is averaging 10.7 yards per punt return, good for eighth in the NFL, and LeGarrette Blount checks in at a respectable 17th on kickoff returns with a 23.1 average. Not bad for a player who had never performed that task prior to this season.

The kick coverage unit is allowing the third-fewest yards per return, and Chandler Jones blocked a field goal in last week's win over the Dolphins.

Then there's the play of specialists Stephen Gostkowski (superb) and Ryan Allen (steady).

Gostkowski had a rough preseason, leading to speculation the Patriots would bring in some competition to push him. But he's been spot-on since Week 1.

The eighth-year pro leads the league in field goals attempted (21) and made (20), and his success rate of .952 is well above his career average of .842 entering September. He's second in scoring (77 points) and touchbacks (34).

Gostkowski has made 15 straight field goals, a run that includes a career-long 54-yarder. He accounted for the margin of victory against the Bills and Jets in the first two games of the season and forced overtime in the rematch with the Jets with his 44-yarder with 16 seconds remaining in regulation.

"Steve works hard," coach Bill Belichick said. "He's got a strong leg, mentally he's focused and disciplined. He's really very professional in his approach to kicking and also has a good way of just focusing on his kick and not getting caught up in all the other things that are involved so he can just do his job and not get distracted or get overwhelmed by whatever the situation is or whatever the things are going on around him.

"He's been good in weather conditions that aren't ideal. He's done a good job for us there for a number of years, but it's been good this year."

As for Allen, the rookie punter has been kept busy since beating out incumbent Zoltan Mesko in a summer-long competition. His 47 punts are the second most in the league.

Allen, who went undrafted despite being a two-time All-American at Louisiana Tech, ranks 12th with a gross average of 46.2 yards and 14th with a net average 40.4.

He hasn't had a punt blocked and has placed a solid 34 percent of his kicks inside the 20-yard line.

Allen also has been sure-handed when it comes to holding for Gostkowski on extra points and field goals. He had no game experience at that skill prior to this season.

"I think Ryan had his moments, for sure," Belichick said. "Through some of the situations he's been in, I think his situational punting has been pretty good. He's improved in the plus-50 areas. He's definitely got a big leg and the ability to change field position.

"I still think there's a lot of room for improvement. He's got a good level of talent, but also consistency is an issue and these conditions that he's in, kicking through the second half of the season up here will be, I'm sure, challenging at some point."

Sanders a keeper

Emmanuel Sanders will be playing for the Steelers on Sunday when they face the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. It could have been the other way around.

The Patriots were one of the few teams to make a play for a restricted free agent from another team when they signed Sanders to a one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet in April.

The Steelers matched the offer four days later, opting to retain the fourth-year pro rather than accept a third-round pick from the Patriots. That pick, the 91st overall, was ultimately used on Rutgers safety Duron Harmon.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound SMU alum, drafted in the third round by Pittsburgh in 2010, has 31 catches for 396 yards (12.8 average) and two touchdowns, one covering 55 yards.

He's projected to finish with 71 catches, 905 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns, all of which would easily be career highs.

Sanders also occasionally returns kicks and officially has one this season for 44 yards.

"I'd say that he's an explosive player, and he's fast," Belichick said. "He had a kickoff return, I don't know how far it was, about 107, 108 yards against Baltimore, and you could really see his speed and explosiveness and big-play ability on that play. They ended up calling him, saying he stepped out of bounds, but it was a heck of a play.

"Then he had the 2-point play last week against the Raiders where again he got out in space and he juked a couple guys and showed his speed and acceleration to get to the goal line. I think that's kind of what he's been able to do.

"He's dangerous on catch-and-run plays like tear screens, which they run a lot of, reverses and kick returns, things like that — however he can get the ball in his hands. He's also a good route runner with quickness and obviously speed and big-play ability. He's been a productive guy for them."

Inside the lines

Some quick hits and (hopefully) useful numbers with regard to this week's games: This is the sixth straight year the Chiefs and Bills have met. The Bills have won four of the past five meetings, putting up 35-plus points in three of the wins. … The Falcons and Panthers have combined to score 44-plus points in seven of the past nine meetings. They scored 41 in the other two games. The Panthers have scored 35, 30 and 31 points during their current three-game winning streak. … The Cowboys are 6-22 (.214) as a home favorite in their last 28 games as they prepare to host the Vikings. … The Saints are 6-12 (.333) as a road favorite in their last 18 games as they head to New York to play the Jets, who are 3-1 at home. … The Chargers are 2-0 in East Coast games as they head to Washington. … The Eagles have scored 10 points in their last two games; the Raiders have scored 21 points or less six times. … The Ravens have won 11 straight against the Browns, all by six-plus points. … The Texans have won the first meeting with the AFC South rival Colts three straight years. … The Packers have won nine of the past 11 meetings with the Bears; four of those wins were by double digits.

Fourth and one

Some random thoughts in no particular order:

•Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Tom Brady's passing numbers being down: "I'm sure he measures himself by record, and I agree with him."

•Belichick gave a 665-word dissertation the other day on the disappearance of the coffin kick. And people say he's tight-lipped with the press.

•The Jets have alternated wins with losses through their first eight games. They host the Saints today in "win" week.

•Wonder if the Red Sox will raise ticket prices?

•The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is one of the best in sports, but Bill Sharman bridged it by crafting a Hall of Fame playing career in Boston and a Hall of Fame coaching career in Los Angeles. May he rest in peace.